


Nerd to the Core

by jules1278, orphan_account



Category: Glee
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-26
Updated: 2012-03-26
Packaged: 2017-11-02 13:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/369407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jules1278/pseuds/jules1278, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Looking around at the dirty brown grass in front of the Beaver Apartments in Lima Heights Adjacent, Ellie sighed. It was so different from the tiny house they’d just left in Akron. But, her momma had gotten a really good job offer and it was time for a new start.</p><p>
  <i>New start, yeah.</i>
</p><p>Then, a dark blue Bronco drove by and a boy with a mohawk lifted his hand in a wave. Waving back, Ellie pulled the box out and watched the truck turn at the last block to the left.</p><p>Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad here, she thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This story is dedicated to Ara Kane who created the mother of all Original Characters in Hex Holstrom for an HP Story that we love dearly called [Sounds Like A Breakfast Cereal](http://www.sugarquill.net/read.php?storyid=1285&chapno=1). Hex was flawed, imperfect, and a champion of all Hufflepuffs. We loved him like no other. Normally not a fan of original characters, I can honestly say that we fell in love with dear Hex. With that in mind, Original Characters are not something Jules and I thought we’d write ourselves until the idea of Ellie Reilly was born. We wanted a gal for Puck that could be his champion but have her own issues. And thus this story was born. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it. ~ Jules & Hez

_Prologue_ :

It was _hot_. The heat bubbling up off the sidewalk just about melted through Ellie Reilly’s flip-flops as she lugged another box out the back end of an ailing station wagon.

“Ellie, come on, baby,” Georgia Reilly called out.

Looking around at the dirty brown grass in front of the Beaver Apartments in Lima Heights Adjacent, Ellie sighed. It was so different from the tiny house they’d just left in Akron. But, her momma had gotten a really good job offer and it was time for a new start. 

_New start, yeah._

Then, a dark blue Bronco drove by and a boy with a mohawk lifted his hand in a wave. Waving back, Ellie pulled the box out and watched the truck turn at the last block to the left. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad here, she thought. 

***

_Six months later...._

Ellie thought Sam was a sweet guy, she really did. But walking into Breadsticks on a Friday after a long night at swim practice was almost too much. She had a Trig test on Monday that she needed to study for, not to mention Honors Chem. Plus, tomorrow morning, bright and early, seven short people were expecting her to teach them how to swim, or at least not to drown. So, if she held back while he walked straight up to a crowded table, could she be blamed? And wow, did that one guy actually have a mohawk? _Interesting_. 

“Guys,” Sam announced as he walked up to the table. “This is Ellie.”

When he turned to look for her, she blushed. Yeah, Sam was really nice, but ugh, she didn’t want to go on parade in front of a bunch of people she didn’t know. Then, he waved her over and smiled. Mentally cursing herself, she pushed her glasses up her nose and walked forward. 

“Ellie, this is Kurt, Finn, Tina, Mike, Puck and Mercedes.”

She gave a small wave to everyone at the table. Mercedes, or the pretty girl she thought was Mercedes, patted the spot beside her. 

“Here, Ellie, take a load off.”

Sliding in the booth beside Mercedes, Ellie tried to keep track of conversation around them as Sam pulled up a chair at the end of the table next to Mohawk Boy’s and straddled it backwards.

“So,” Mohawk Boy started. “What grade are you in?”

Ellie opened her mouth to answer when Sam held up a hand.

“No,” Sam said. “No way, Puck. Ellie’s a nice girl and as a fellow Guppy I’m sworn to protect her so, no.”

“Am I missing something?” Ellie asked.

Mercedes tapped her lightly on the leg.

“Only that Mr. Noah Puckerman - “

“Hey, it’s just Puck. I’ve told you a thousand times, Mercedes.”

“Sorry, _Puck_.”

She turned back to Ellie, and continued, “It’s just that Puck tends to be kind of a ….”

“Tramp?” Finn offered.

“Whore of Babylon?” Tina suggested.

“Hey! I’m open to all kinds of love.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Kurt muttered.

Puck crossed his arms and leaned his chair back on two legs.

“Why don’t we let the new girl find out for herself if I’m a super sex villain or not.”

Ellie laughed nervously and pushed up her glasses again. “I’m really fine without finding out one way or the other.”

“Well, I think we’re all ready to order. Ellie, are you ready to order? Where _is_ that server?” Kurt snapped his fingers and looked around expectantly at everyone.

“Oh right, dinner.” And Ellie pulled her eyes away from Puck’s forearms to look at the menu.

Tina passed her the bread basket and pointed out a few of the dinner specials.

“The eggplant lasagna is my favorite, but you can’t go wrong with the chicken Marsala.”

Ellie could feel Puck’s eyes on her as her glasses slipped down her nose again, but came to earth with a crash as Sam slammed the other two legs of his chair back onto the floor and handed him a menu. She snickered. 

“What? Like I need to look at that, dude. I’ll have four slices of the pizza. Whatever has the most meat on it. Meatapalooza.”

“It’s called Triple Meat.”

“Dude. Same thing.”

Ellie looked up and caught Puck staring at her _again_. She self-consciously tucked her hair behind her ears, a nervous habit she was trying to break. She smoothed her hands on her jeans legs and ordered whatever Tina had pointed to on the laminated list.

“So what year _are_ you, really?” Mercedes asked.

“I’m a sophomore. Just joined Varsity for the Guppies.” 

Sam offered his fist for her to bump. “Go, Guppies!”

“Yeah, and I’m taking all these honors classes, hoping to study marine biology someday.”

Puck leaned over to dip his bread in the marinara sauce suggestively, “So what’s Ellie short for anyway? Elliot?”

“No,” Ellie replied, moving back from the table as the server brought their food. “Elspeth.”

“Bless you,” replied Puck.

“Oh, that’s pretty,” Tina said, propping her chin up on her hand. “Try being stuck with a boring name like Tina your whole life.”

“Mike’s not any better.”

“I like Mike,” cooed Tina.

Ellie looked over at Mercedes who was rolling her eyes. She leaned close when Mercedes crooked her finger.

“They’re adorable and sickening all at the same time. You get used to it.”

“I’ll remember that,” Ellie replied. “Does Mercedes mean something, besides the car?”

Sam spoke up, “It’s ‘our lady of mercies’, in Spanish.”

Mercedes looked down at her food and didn’t say anything, and Ellie looked back at Sam.

“Sam’s really good at Spanish. If you know what I mean.”

“Puckerman, even when it doesn’t make any sense -” began Kurt. 

“- we always know what you mean,” Finn joined in, making Ellie laugh.

As she ate, she watched the group teasing each other playfully, occasionally singing lyrics from show tunes, and eating from each other’s plates.

Eventually, Puck pushed his chair back from the table and burped.

Tina giggled as she wound her noodles around her fork. “Yum, nooodles.”

“I think I better get this one home soon,” Mike said fondly.

Finn stood and grabbed his coat from the chair back. “Yeah, and I’m supposed to meet Rachel.”

“Mercedes, are you riding back with Finn?” asked Sam, still sitting.

She looked at him alone. “I don’t think I’m ready to go yet.”

“Hey, don’t worry about the new girl. I can give her a lift.” Puck got down on one knee and took Ellie’s hand.

“Where do you live, Ellie? Can we drop you on our way?” Tina sidled between Puck and Ellie, glancing back at Sam, who hadn’t noticed.

“Oh, I’m a couple miles that way, so I can walk...” Ellie started to point, but Mike interrupted.

“Don’t be silly; it's dark out. We insist.” He gathered up their coats and helped Tina on with hers.

Finn held the door open for them as they filed out to Tina’s car.

“Wait up!” Puck tugged on the hood of her sweater, “Nice meeting you, Elliot.”

He grinned and jogged backwards to Finn’s Jeep, as Ellie waved timidly.

Following Finn, Tina pulled out of their space, leaving Sam’s truck in the next spot over.

Later, as Ellie brushed her teeth she wondered about the group of people who were actively slushied at the school and how much they seemed to love each other. 

And Puck. 

She wondered how he fit in that group the most. They were all misfits, but Puck? He seemed like the typical McKinley jock. But, then, so did Sam and knowing him like she did... Well, he was far from it. 

_What was Noah Puckerman’s story?_

She spit the toothpaste out and wiped her mouth after rinsing. Looking in the mirror, she saw the same old plain Ellie Reilly from Lima Heights. Lank brown hair, thick glasses, uncoordinated anywhere but in water, and dirt poor, but with the best Mom in the world. 

Just then she heard the deadbolt turn in their front door. Georgia Reilly came walking in from a ten hour shift as a housekeeper at the hospital. Her momma, she thought. The part that had been waiting on something slid back into place and Ellie walked to the kitchen to heat up the leftovers she’d brought back from Breadsticks.

“Supper, Momma.”

“Ellie, you’re the best. What are you still doing up?”

“Just got in. Sam took me to Breadsticks to meet some friends of his.”

When Georgia raised an eyebrow as she sat at the small table in the kitchenette, Ellie laughed.

“He loves Mercedes. Not me.”

Ellie sat down across from Georgia and tucked a leg up under herself. Picking at the peeling formica, she looked up through the tops of her glasses. 

“You look so old when you do that. Quit growing up so fast on me,” Georgia said, leaning over to pat her daughter’s cheek. “You always know too much.”

“Just about Math. Everything else is confusing.”

The light from the bulb over the stove made everything soft and quiet in a place that Ellie normally thought as of unpretty, and they filled the air with conversation about her evening and Georgia’s workday. 

“Puck, huh?”

“What?” Ellie questioned, looking up from the peeling formica.

“You mentioned him four times, Ellie.”

“I don’t know,” she trailed off, tracing between the designs on the ancient table. “I just don’t get how he fits in that group.”

“Not everything is a math equation, baby. Not everything fits neatly into a line.”

Ellie thought of having butterflies over a seemingly empty-headed, pretty boy and nodded. 

“Maybe you should hear him sing with that group of his. Might figure where he fits into that equation brain of yours then.”

Ellie just smiled and nodded. She just might do that.

“How did I get such a smart daughter?”

“Sure I wasn’t one of those switched-at-birth kids? ‘Cause you’re so beautiful, Momma, and I’m so not.”

“Hush, you. You’re lovely.”

“You’re my _mom_. You have to say that.”

“No, I don’t.” Georgia kissed Ellie on the top of the head and put her plate in the sink. “Come on, little one, bedtime.”

“I’m not five, momma.”

“Boy, don’t I know it,” she laughed. 

Ellie crawled into bed after saying her prayers and wondered what loving a boy felt like or what being in love felt like or what being loved by a boy like Puck was like. 

***

Puck dropped off his little sister at the Middle School and made sure she had enough lunch money, calling after Natalie to ‘get milk, not any crappy sodas.’ He didn’t want her catching osteoporosis or anything.

He swung into the senior parking lot at McKinley, where he had parked ever since he was a sophomore, not thinking about much other than whether he’d eaten enough breakfast or not. A guy could really never eat enough hard boiled eggs. He slammed the door to his Bronco and headed into school, knocking aside a freshman at the entrance. 

As the Puckinator had once told himself, ‘the key to being a bad-ass is to act like one.’

Passing the underclassmen lockers on the way to the gym, he thought he recognized the new girl from Breadsticks the other night.

She turned around, stuffing a huge textbook into her backpack, and almost walked straight into Puck’s chest.

“Whoa there...” and he trailed off, forgetting her name, as he steadied her shoulders.

She pushed her glasses back up on her nose, and blushed. “It’s Ellie. Hi.”

“I remember,” even though he didn’t. Something about her made him want to get it right, and he wasn’t used to feeling that way about anyone except his family. And Glee Club.

Ellie cleared her throat, “I better get to class.”

He realized he still had his hands on her shoulders, and removed them in the universal ‘hands-off’ gesture, then gave her backpack a pat.

“Maybe I’ll run into you later. Elliot.”

He watched her turn and walk away, probably to some early-morning smart kids class where they cured cancer or whatever when they were bored. Maybe they’d figure out a cure for osteoporosis.

“Dude,” he greeted Finn in the weight room, and tossed his duffel bag under the bench. “What’d you and Rachel get into last night after you dropped me off? Anything good?”

“We watched a movie with her dads. We made our own popcorn from the kernels and everything,” Finn said.

“I said anything _good_. Homemade popcorn? Movie on the couch with the ‘rents? Did you even sit next to her? Get any boobage at all?”

Finn squinted at him. “No luck with that foreign exchange student, huh?”

“Didn’t even call her,” Puck grunted as he added weights to the bar. “Waste of time. I heard she doesn’t put out unless the guy knows three different languages. I only know English and Pig Latin. And Blaine wouldn’t text me back.”

“Pirate?”

“Pirate.” They bumped fists and they switched places, and Puck spotted Finn.

“What about the girl on the swim team with Sam? She’s cute.”

Puck turned to get a towel and replied, “Ellie? What about her? Yeah, she’s cute. Rachel’s more your type, though.”

“I meant for you.” Finn strained to push the bar up to the rests, as Puck turned back around to settle it.

“Dude, she’s a _sophomore._ ”

“So?” Finn reasoned. “You’re only two years ahead, and her reading comprehension is probably decades past yours.”

“Not making it any better, dude. Besides, she’s the kind of girl you get serious about, and the Puckmeister doesn’t get serious.”

“Yeah, you do.” 

Puck hated it when Finn looked at him like that. Like, just because he’s known him since they could crawl, he could see right through every bit of Puck’s bullshit.

“I’ve got a record. She’s young and impressionable. I’m a man with needs. I need a woman, not a child. Women. I need lots of women.”

“What you need is one good woman, like Rachel is for me. You’re a good guy, Puck.”

Puck slung the towel around his neck, grabbed his bag and headed for the door. “Is this vagina monologue over? I said I’d help Mr. Schue move some equipment before my nap during History.”

He waited to make sure Finn was finished with the weights, before pushing through the door. He might be an ass with a record who flirted with underage genius hotties on occasion, but he sure wasn’t gonna leave a dude hanging on the bench.

***

Ellie popped into the bathroom after lunch to brush her teeth when she heard Mercedes and Puck coming through the doors. Darting into one of the stalls, she sat on the toilet and stuck her feet up on the door hoping like hell it fooled them both. Feeling utterly ridiculous, she hoped their conversation would be over soon.

“Puck, you _cannot_ be following me in here.”

“Don’t worry, mama. I’ve seen it all before.”

“Well, at least make sure there’s no one in there.”

Holding her breath and counting to ten she waited until she saw Puck’s shadow pass her stall before letting it out quietly. 

“Nope, we’re good.”

“What do you want?”

Mercedes sniffled and it sound like to Ellie that she had been crying. Puzzled, she leaned forward. 

“Listen, I know this shit with Trouty is bugging you.”

“It’s just really hard, and if you say that’s what she said, I’ll kick your ass.”

He laughed and it echoed off the walls. “Wouldn’t dare.”

“I know what I’m doing. It’s what I wanted.”

Ellie’s brow furrowed as she listened intently and it definitely sounded like Mercedes was having trouble talking through tears.

“Yup.”

“You just gonna stand there and agree with me, Puck?”

“Yup. 

“I - I _miss_ him.”

“C’mere.” Ellie heard Puck say. _He must be hugging her_ , Ellie thought. 

“Trouty ain’t going anywhere.” 

Ellie could barely hear him as he whispered to Mercedes. 

“How the hell do you know? He left before.”

“‘Cause he came back here for you more than anything else. And because he made a complete jackass singing in front of everyone in those boots and he learned Spanish for you. You know he wants to be your baby daddy.”

“What is _with_ you people and us having ‘cocoa’ babies?”

“They’re pretty,” Puck said. 

Ellie heard Mercedes laugh. 

“Thanks, Puck.”

“Yeah, just remember what I said. He’s just waiting on you to blow the whistle so he can come barreling through your neutral zone.”

“Only you would make football sound disgusting.”

“It’s a gift.”

Mercedes laughed again. 

“Okay, get outta here. I gotta fix my face.”

“See ya later.”

Ellie waited until she was sure they were both gone before putting her feet on the floor. She couldn’t believe that Noah had been so kind to Mercedes. He was normally so smartass with everyone and that was still there - ‘baby daddy,’ _really_? - but he was so sweet about it this time. Digging her tooth brush from her pocket, Ellie opened the door. He was so confusing. 

She thought about him on and off through the week and maybe watched him a bit more than usual. What she saw surprised her in a good way. 

On Tuesday on her way down the hall, she saw him pick up a glove of Artie’s from the floor when it fell. He did it without thinking, she noticed. Just bending over, picking it up and handing it back without breaking a stride. That Wednesday, she sat by the side of the road with Finn and Sam until Puck got there to help them with Finn’s Jeep which was currently burping white smoke out of the engine. Ten minutes, two gallons of water, and three high fives later they were back on the road. 

A week later, she walked by the Glee Club’s practice on her way to the library. Ellie could hear the song down the hallway long before she even got there. Peeking her head around the door, she saw Puck and Sam on the side of the room with their guitars, hands strumming in sync as Sam sang. She recognized it as one Sam had been playing over and over in his truck on his way to and from practice. His voice rang out as Puck harmonized and Ellie hung back in the shadows of the door. The whole of the glee club was watching but it was clear who the song was for. Ellie looked over at Mercedes face to see tears streaming out of her eyes. Scanning the group, there wasn’t a dry eye in there. 

_“....I won’t give up on us, even if the skies get rough, I’m giving you all of my love, I’m still looking up...”_

She watched Puck, unnoticed. And when he looked up and caught her eye, she nearly gasped. He winked. She took a step back into the shadows of the door. Pressing a hand to heart, Ellie felt it beat out of control. The room was dead silent when their voices died out and she walked away towards the library; although, she’d completely forgotten why she wanted to go there in the first place. Maybe her Momma was right. She had needed to hear him sing for it to make sense. 

That Sunday she was studying, again. She and her mom were sitting at the low coffee table in the living room with books staggered between them and the radio on low in the kitchen. 

“Ellie.”

She shook her head as her mom snapped her fingers in front of her face. 

“What? Sorry. Spacing out.”

“I know.” Georgia smiled, softly. “Go. Call one of your friends and do something.”

Ellie stole a look at her phone, at the text from Tina. ‘SMS from Tina Cohen-Chang: ‘Jam @ Finns. Food & Fun. Pick u up in 20.’

“Tina texted. They’re having a jam at Finn’s.”

“Well, get changed.”

“Actually, I think I’ll stay here. I’ve got some laundry and stuff.”

“Honey, I never thought I’d say this, but get dressed and go be irresponsible.”

Ellie laughed. She stood up, gathering her books and things to take to her room, and leaned over to kiss her mom on the head. 

“You’re funny, Momma.”

“Yeah, my jokes bring all the boys to the yard.”

“Actually, I think it’s your milkshakes,” Ellie said, pointing at Georgia’s chest.

Ellie smiled as her Momma’s laughter rang out in the small apartment. 

***

Puck strutted through the Hudson-Hummel house. He’d been running with Finn since they were old enough to army crawl across the carpet and it didn’t matter what house they happened to be living in, he was always welcome day or night. Burt was cool, too. And after everything shook down, Kurt was an honorary brother.

Everyone was out by the fire pit but Puck detoured to the patio where Burt was grilling some wicked dogs and meat. The smell made his stomach rumble.

“Not ready yet, Noah,” Burt said.

“ _Damn_.”

“Get some chips from Carole.”

“Naw, I’ll wait on the protein, thanks.”

He walked over to the group and sat by Artie who had Sugar Motta snuggled up on his lap. His group was pairing off and sometimes it chapped his ass that he didn’t have a girl to warm his legs up, but there were worse things. 

Like athlete’s foot.

Shit itched like hell, he thought. 

Sam came and sat with his guitar and Finn kicked off a beat with his sticks. Slinging his strap over his shoulder, Puck let Sam lead and he joined in. This brotherhood of the traveling guitar was so much easier than anything else he ever did. Easier than thinking, his fingers danced over the strings. Jamming on one of Sam’s fucking country tunes, he sang during the chorus as the girls danced. Looking across the fire pit, his eyes found Ellie’s.

He didn’t know when Super Geek had come walking in, but she was sitting there beside Cohen-Chang and clapping along. He hummed along while watching her without her knowing. He felt a little like a creeper, but she was so fucking prickly about everything and when she caught him staring, she shut down quicker than an automatic garage door missing a spring. Her hair was blowing in her face and he wanted to tuck that loose strand behind her ear. And when she shivered, he thought about how warm his letter jacket was and wondered what it would look like tucked around her tiny shoulders. 

Shaking his head, Puck turned back to Finn and Sam.

Girl like that was trouble with a capital Tee and he didn’t want that shit. He didn’t want someone to need stuff from him other than him showing up and dropping trou. It was easier that way. 

Didn’t explain why his feet walked over to her and sat after they’d eaten and picked up their guitars again. 

“Elliot.”

“Puckerman,” she replied, laughingly.

“Got any requests?”

“Come on, Ellie, pick a song,” Tina pleaded.

The group chimed in and he watched her cheeks color up making her look even prettier than before. 

“Okay, okay,” she said, holding up her hands. “Something Disney.”

Puck barked out a laugh and nodded over at his man, Blaine.

“You’re up, Anderson.”

It was a running joke that Blaine had wanted to do Disney forever. 

“Belle or Ariel?” The Warbler Wonder questioned.

“Ariel,” Ellie answered. 

Blaine nodded at Finn who tapped out a beat on his knees with his sticks. Sam and Puck began playing and Blaine started singing on the beat. Out of the corner of his eye, Puck could see Ellie’s face light up. The group started clapping and singing along.

Blaine danced over and kneeled down in front of Ellie and her cheeks lit up like the fourth of July. She scooted closer and for a second, Puck forgot how to breathe. She was plastered against his side, and let’s face it, aside from rosey palm, it was the closest thing he’d gotten to action in a damned long time. He nudged her with his elbow and winked. Her face went beet red and she looked up at him. 

“ _....up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day under the sun..._ ”

He could barely hear Blaine singing over the buzzing in his ears. He could see Ellie’s lips moving along with the lyrics.

“ _....wandering free, wish I could be, part of your world..._ ”

Everything sped up but his fingers stopped. Everyone was clapping, he could hear ‘em, but he couldn’t look away from her face. His lips tingled like he had just shotgunned a shooter of Jack. 

Ellie glanced away to Blaine and Puck whispered a small ‘fuuuuck’ under his breath and got up. He avoided Super Geek the rest of the night and snuck out. 

Pulling up outside of his house, he killed the engine and leaned back in the seat. He could go in and hit the hay or … 

He turned the keys in the ignition and opened his phone.

“Hey, Greta baby, you around?”

Burying the thought of the girl with grey eyes, he looked forward to a night in the sorority and shots of Cuervo.


	2. Chapter 2

Puck signaled and pulled into Mickey D’s. Slowing to a crawl, he saw Ellie walking out and honked the horn. When she dropped her sack and OJ, he grimaced.

"Sorry! Just saying hey," he hollered out the window. 

She gave him a feeble wave and he pulled into a parking spot. Throwing off his seat belt, he jumped out.

He jogged over to where she was rummaging through her sack.

" _Shit_."

"Nice mouth, Reilly."

"Shut up, Puck. They screwed up my sandwich."

"Gimme it."

"No, it's fine."

"C'mon, I'll buy you another OJ. You Guppies probably need a lot of calcium, right?"

He didn't think too much of anything when she laughed except that it made something inside his belly go flip-flop and he smiled down at her. He waited until she got everything picked up and grabbed her backpack for her. They walked in and stood in line. 

“You walk all the way out here?”

He could see her chin jut out before she answered. Oh hell, this girl had Lima Heights down like it was her job. 

“Yeah, so?”

“Just askin’, Elliot. If you need a ride just gimme a buzz. I pick San up all the time.”

“Not sure I wanna be shut up in a vehicle with you and Santana at the same time.”

“What?”

They shuffled closer to the counter and Puck thought about ordering one of those griddle thingies. Sweet and savory and oh so yummy. 

“Nothing,” Ellie mumbled. 

They got to the counter and Puck grabbed the sack from Ellie’s hand.

“I’m going to need this order changed. It’s wrong and that’s jacked up. We’re on our way to school and don’t have time for this.”

“Puck,” Ellie whispered, turning red and pushing up her glasses.

“Hush. And further more, I’m going to need one of those sausage McGriddle numbers and two Extra Large OJ’s.”

The girl behind the counter took the sack from Puck’s hand and smiled sweetly.

“Certainly, _sir_. Anything for a customer.”

Three minutes they were walking outta the golden arches after he’d shouldered the door open. 

“Stick with me, kid,” Puck said. 

He saw Ellie shake her head and she started off towards the other direction of the parking lot. Puck walked over to his passenger side of the Bronco, opened the door, and tossed Ellie’s backpack in the back seat. She looked between him and the seat, shrugged, and hopped up.

"Thanks, Noah," she said before he gunned the engine and screeched outta the parking space. When she squealed, he slammed it in drive and tore off to her laughter.

Hell, it was only a Tuesday morning, he thought. The week ahead looked pretty damned great.  
***

Ellie shut the door to her locker and found Puck leaning against the next one and jumped. 

“Puck, you scared me!”

He laughed and nodded. “I have that effect on women.”

“Clear your throat next time and if you say that’s what she said I’ll smack you.”

He laughed again and she smiled, ducking her chin. He fell in step beside her as she walked toward the exit.

“How’s Glee?”

“Oh, same song, different verse. Girls bitching at each other but the guys haven’t thrown a punch in a week. Might have to give Trouty some shit about that.”

“Sam? Really?”

“Yeah, your boy may look all sweet and innocent but ask him about his days as White Chocolate some time.”

“White...chocolate?” 

“Ha, nice try. Not my story to tell.”

“Fine.”

They walked by the dumpster and Puck stopped and chuckled.

“What’s funny about garbage?”

“Sophomore year, the football team took turns dumping Hummel in this thing every day.”

“What? That’s terrible.”

“It is.”

“What happened? I know you’d kick the crap out of anyone who gave Kurt shit now.”

“Don’t know. Growing up, maybe. Doubt it, though.”

“Shut up, Noah.”

He stopped and looked at her. 

“You always do that. Every time you start to act like you’ve got more than one brain cell that’s not located south of the equator, you stop yourself.”

“It’s who I am, Elliot.”

“No, it’s not.”

She started walking again because she didn’t think she could could keep looking up at his eyes without embarrassing herself.

“Wait up!”

She stopped but didn’t look at him as he fell in step beside her again. 

“Why do you say shit like that?”

This time she did stop and look up at him. 

“Seriously?”

“What?” 

He had these tiny little lines between his forehead. He did that a lot around her. Most of the time she attributed it to gas, but today it looked more like confusion. 

“Noah, you’re a lot more than people think you are or what you hardly ever give yourself credit for. Quit acting like a dumbass all the time.”

“I’m not acting-”

“Forget it,” she said.

“Ellie, c’mon,” he said, grabbing her arm. 

She glared down at his hand and then up at his face. 

“Alright, I get it, hands off,” he said, stepping back. “Look, people don’t expect anything from me except a good time.”

“Well, you’re more than that.”

“How the hell would you know?”

She couldn’t say that she’d watched him with his friends. Bunching up her fists in her hoodie pockets, she shrugged.

“I just do.”

That time when she walked away, he let her go. 

***

Ellie smiled and waved at Tina as she walked through the front doors of McKinley. Four weeks of having new friends - any friends, really - seemingly overnight was something she was still getting used to. 

It was early morning and the school was very much not alive yet, but a few people were in and out as she walked to her locker. The books she thought she’d carefully stacked the day before came tumbling out at her feet, and she sighed. And then her huge Trig book fell and hit her big toe.

“Ouch, ouch, ouuuuuuuch. Friggin’ Trig,” she cursed. 

Wincing, she bent down to pick up her books. When a larger, male hand picked up her copy of _Pride & Prejudice_, she looked up to find Puck stacking the books in his arms.

“Thanks, Noah,” she whispered as she stood up. 

“Here,” he said, dropping the books back in her locker. She began to rearrange them immediately in the order of classes that she had that day. “You swimming this morning, too?”

“Yeah. Every day.”

She mentally kicked herself. Throughout the last few weeks, they’d actually been able to hold a conversation here and there when she was safely surrounded by the members of the Glee Club but the moment it got to be one-on-one, she clammed up and couldn’t think at all. 

“Just dropped off Trouty Mouth. So, yeah, I figured swimming.”

Ellie smiled at the nickname Santana had coined for Sam. She grabbed the small bag of toiletries and things she kept for the pool here at school and shut her locker door. 

“I should get to the pool.”

“You know he’s in love with Mercedes, right?”

“What?”

“Sam. He loves Mama Mercedes.”

“I know that. You don’t have to be around Sam longer than two seconds for him to start talking about her. What’s that have to do with me?”

Puck shrugged. “Nothin’. But I didn’t know if you had a thing for our boy Trouty or not. Thought I’d help you out, just in case.”

“You thought that I had a thing for Sam?”

“Maybe.”

“Sam’s my _friend_. A really good friend. And if you think that I’d go after a guy who so blatantly loves someone else who I would also now call a friend, then you’re an idiot.”

She started to walk off when she was jerked back by her elbow. Spinning around, she ran inelegantly into a wall of Noah Puckerman. 

“Let go of me,” she ground out.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he said, dropping her elbow. “I say stupid shit around you. Even more than usual. I know I’m not the smartest bulb in the box, but yeah, I know that I say dumb stuff around you.”

“Why? I’m not mean to you.”

“I know that.”

“I don’t like Sam. Not like that.”

They were still close and she could feel his heart racing under her palm. Every other light was off in the hallway and they were standing under a darkened fluorescence that when flipped on would illuminate the look on Puck’s face to anyone standing around, and she didn’t want that to happen. 

“Yeah?”

Ellie could only nod in reply. He seemed to come back to himself then and stepped back. She immediately felt the loss of warmth in her hand. Chemical reaction, obviously, she thought. Lack of stimulus and the flame flickers out and dies.

“That’s good,” he said. 

“Ellie!” She turned and looked down the hallway. Sam was standing at the very end. It felt odd, almost like between a rock and a hard place.

“Get going, Elliot.”

She walked towards Sam and didn’t look back, but she caught Sam out of the corner of her eye giving the universal ‘got my eyes on you’ sign to Puck. She laughed.

“Noah doesn’t like me like that, Sam.”

“He likes every girl like _that_.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Ellie replied, elbowing him in the ribs. “Come on. He thought I liked you.”

“What?!” Sam barked out and then laughed.

“Thanks a lot, Sam Evans. I’m not completely hideous.”

He slung an arm around her shoulder. “Ellie, you’re pretty. Just worried Puck sees it, too.”

“Would that be so terrible?”

“Yeah, no,” he said, stopping in front of the locker rooms. Running his hands through his hair, he dropped his hands to his hips. “Puck’s a great guy when he wants to be.”

“Well, that’s not a bad thing.”

“No, I just don’t want you hurt.”

Ellie pushed her glasses up on her nose and furrowed her brow at Sam. “Why does it matter so much? We’re just friends, Sam.”

“You remind me an awful lot of Stacy, my sister.”

“Ohhhhhkay. I didn’t realize there was an adopt-a-sophomore campaign going on,” she said and spun to walk in the locker room. She was grabbed by the shoulders this time and turned gently. 

“Ellie,” Sam began. 

“Hands off,” she said, batting at his arms. “What is _with_ you guys?”

“What?” Sam stepped back. 

“You. _All_ of you. You call, you text, you invite me everywhere with all of you because you decided to ‘adopt’ me. Did you ever think, maybe for a minute, that my life was fine without all of that, Sam? Huh? Did you?”

“No. No, I didn’t.”

“Right, you didn’t.” Ellie walked up close and poked her finger at Sam’s chest. “I’m no one’s charity case. Lima Heights or not, I’m smart and I’m not gonna be here forever. Don’t forget that.” 

Ellie could feel herself working from merely angry towards fuming. Practice would be crap. She couldn’t handle it. Shouldering her bag, she stalked towards the exit. “And I’m not a stand-in for the girl you’re in love with either.”

“Ellie!”

“Leave me alone, Sam!”

Shoving the door open, she scrubbed the tears off her face with a fist. 

“I’m no one’s charity case,” she repeated to an empty hallway.

***

On Saturday morning, Puck backed his Bronco, Lady Susan, into a lane at Super Suds. There were about eight other car washes in town, full-service ones, too, and the Cheerios were having one in front of the auto-mart, probably wearing bikinis. But none of those car washes happened to be across from the community pool. The community pool where a bunch of little kids were crowded around someone barely taller than them, with dark hair and super thick swim goggles.

His phone buzzed as he got out of the truck, and reaching into his back pocket, he flipped it open, "Yeah?"

Listening for a few seconds, he replied, "be there in ten,” slid the phone back into his pocket,  
and unwound the hose from the wash station.

Across the road, the crowd of little kids moved into crooked lines behind the lowest diving board, and then he could see Ellie. She didn’t know that anyone but a bunch of six-year-olds were looking at her, and had her hands on her hips, shoulders back. Puck tried not to feel pervy. The kids were squealing and laughing, and he could tell they thought she was the coolest thing since eating glue or whatever little kids were into these days. She adjusted a strap of her plain black swim-tank and scooted the first little guy over to climb the two rungs up to the board.

Puck didn't even know you could buy swim suits like that anymore. He'd seen a lot of real good-looking women in tiny strappy things, some without straps, and he'd seen a lot of women completely naked.

Ellie wasn’t like any of them. 

Less curves, less chatter, less games. Sometimes when they were all out in a group, he saw her watching everyone else. She laughed and she joined in, but she didn't talk when she didn't need to. Finn was kind of like that, but Finn was a dude.

Puck liked that Ellie paid attention. When he talked to her, she listened and remembered stuff he said later. Even really stupid stuff. He liked the way her eyes looked at him behind those nerdy-as-shit glasses when her hair was pulled back off her face.

Maybe he was into her, but he didn't know what to do about it. Most of the time Puck knew exactly what to do, but Elliot on the synchronized swim team made him feel like water without a fish.

***

Ellie turned the doorknob and when it wouldn’t budge, she remembered that her mom was still at work. Dumping her backpack on the slab of pavement outside their door, she began fishing around looking for her key when she heard someone coming. Looking up, she saw Santana walking towards her. Swallowing hard, Ellie straightened. 

“Guppy girl,” Santana greeted.

Mentally rolling her eyes, Ellie nodded. “Bitchy cheerleader.”

Finding the key, she stuck it in the lock. She shouldered the door open and turned back. 

“You coming in?”

“Sure,” Santana shrugged.

Ellie dumped her backpack by the closet and walked in the kitchen. She snagged two waters out of the fridge and handed one to Santana.

“Okay, I don’t think we’re having some sort of Lima Heights Welcome Wagon meeting here. So, what do you want, Santana?”

“Friendly much, Munchkin’?”

Ellie sat her water on the table and crossed her arms. “You make me nervous and you know you do. You’re mean and intimidating. So, I thought you might appreciate some honesty.”

“I do,” Santana nodded. “I like honesty a lot. It’s not something I used to deal in until lately.”

“Right. That whole lesbian thing with Brittany.”

“Jeez. You seem so sweet and then I remember you’re from my neck of the woods.”

“Whatever. I live in a crappy place but it won’t be forever.”

Santana pulled out a chair and sat down. She nodded at the chair across and Ellie sighed, sitting. 

“Girls like us, girls from Lima Heights, don’t always get out.”

“I’m going to.”

“Puck’s not.”

“What does Noah Puckerman have to do with me?”

Ellie watched as Santana opened her bottle of water and took a drink. Capping it, she sat it down again. 

“He likes you. And I like you.”

Ellie could feel her eyebrows rise somewhere in the vicinity of her hairline. 

“Not like that,” Santana laughed. “Not the way Puck likes you.”

“Okay for the sake of argument, say that he does. So what?”

“You’re not his type. Not his usual type,” Santana elaborated.

“Yeah, I have like a size negative A bra and a brain.”

“Nice one, Peewee.”

Ellie laughed before she could help it. Santana smiled and then sobered again.

“Underneath all of that dumb dickhead shit, he’s really a great guy. The way I see it, the only girl Puck ever loved in his life was Beth.”

“His daughter,” Ellie said.

“You know about that?” Santana arched an eyebrow.

“Please. You guys can’t stay out of each other’s pants for ten seconds. You honestly think I didn’t know about Quinn and Puck having Beth? I found out about her like three days after Sam brought me to Breadsticks the first time.”

“We are a dirty incestuous little bunch, aren’t we?”

“More than a little.”

They laughed again and Ellie took a drink. 

“Seriously, what’s this all about, Santana?”

“I think you should give him a chance.”

“Did he ask you to come and talk to me?”

Santana arched an eyebrow again. “Please. As if.”

“Right, I should know better than that.”

“Really, you should. You’re supposed to be smart.”

“What’s in it for you?”

Santana took a deep breath and scooted her water back and forth, nervously, in her hands. “I’m graduating this year. I have a great girlfriend that I love.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Lemme finish, Ellie.”

Shocked, Ellie leaned back in her chair. It was the first time Santana had ever called her by her actual name. “Okay, go ahead.”

“When I...” Santana swallowed hard and took another drink before continuing. Her voice, too, had dropped to a soft octave. “When I came out this year, everybody in Glee Club stood by me. They helped me when I didn’t want help.”

Santana looked up and Ellie could see tears shining in her eyes. 

“I want them to be this happy. I want Sam and his guppy lips to make cocoa babies with Mercedes. I want to be a dumbass bridesmaid at Finn and Rachel’s wedding. I want to help Blaine and Kurt pick out ugly cumberbunds when they can finally hook up legally. I want them to be _happy_.”

If it were anyone else, Ellie would’ve put her hand out and held on, but this was Santana, so she tread lightly. 

“That’s a good thing. Wanting your friends to be happy is a really good thing. But, I still don’t see what this has to do with me.”

“Puck watches you when you’re not looking. He gets this little confused look and his eyebrows scrunch together like he’s trying to figure you out.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Ellie whispered.

“He does. It’s kinda cute and disgusting.”

“He might _think_ he does. But guys like that don’t like girls like me. I’m a sophomore. I’m a virgin. I’m not like...”

“Me?” Santana asked. 

“Yeah. I’m not you or Quinn. Or Sigma Delta Idiot.”

“No, you’re definitely not. But, he likes you and I want him to be happy.” Santana scooted her chair away from the table and picked up her bottle of water. “I’ve got practice. The next time you see him...just remember what Auntie ‘Tana said and give him a chance.”

Santana walked over to the door and opened it. Ellie called out and Santana looked back.

“Thanks, I think.”

“No problem. Us Lima Heights girls gotta stick together.”

And then she was gone leaving Ellie even more confused than she was before. Dropping her head onto the table, Ellie groaned. This was not her life right now. And how sad was it that she wanted to bury herself in something ‘simple’ like Trig to forget about a boy? Really dumb, Reilly, her subconscious chimed in. Shut. Up.

***

Puck met up with Finn at the track behind McKinley. Finn was half-ass stretching, so Puck tossed his bag down, laying his phone on top, and changed into his running shoes.

“How long we going today? You gotta be anywhere later?” Puck asked, ready to run and run until his head cleared. 

No more thinking about Super Geek. He liked it best when there wasn’t thinking involved with women. He never know what to expect when her big grey eyes looked up at him, trying to make him think he was anything more than he was. 

“‘Til whenever, dude. You ready?” Finn was finally done with his sissy stretching.

“I’m ready, let’s go,” Puck said, checking the time on his watch. He needed about 45 minutes of solid running, just sweating and putting shoe to track.

They started off slow, but Finn kept trying to talk. First it was about him and Rachel and another one of their dumb-as-fuck non-dates. Did the dude just say they went _ice skating_?

The worst part was that Puck had to admit they were kinda cute sometimes, the way they looked at each other and how they really couldn’t keep their hands off each other for longer than five seconds. He just didn’t admit it out loud.

“And I was thinking, maybe sometime you and Ellie could join us,” Finn was saying.

_Wait, what?_

“Dude, I told you. There isn’t a ‘me and Ellie.’” Puck shook his head. Why couldn’t Finn just give it a rest?

“Okay, if you’re sure.” 

Puck could see Finn out of the corner of his eye looking at him, so he sped up. They should really pick up the pace anyway. If they could talk, they weren’t running fast enough. Real men didn’t go for a _jog_.

They ran in silence for another twenty minutes, and without Finn’s uncharacteristic chatter from earlier, Puck had way too much time to think. 

The thing about a kid like Ellie was that he did think more when he was around her. He wasn’t used to it. He also thought _about_ her. Those damn grey eyes. Always thinking that she saw something different in him. Making him _want_ to be better. To maybe even graduate and go to a trades school or something. Maybe make something of his life besides boning Cougars and ‘cleaning their pools.’ Maybe make Beth proud he was her dad.

Puck realized Finn had stopped to take a breather, bent over with his hands on his knees. Puck probably could use a break, too. He passed their bench on the way to Finn, and grabbed two waters.

He tossed one to Finn, and, twisting the cap off his, he took a long pull from the plastic bottle. When he finished drinking, he wiped his mouth off with the inside neck of his tee shirt and brought his arm up to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Looking over at Finn, who was still chugging, Puck took a chance.

“So, me and Ellie...”

“I thought there wasn’t a ‘you and Ellie,’” Finn interrupted with a fucking _grin_ , wiping water off his chin with his own shirt.

“Yeah, well. There might be. There shouldn’t be if she knows what’s good for her, but maybe her smarts only go so far,” he started, then caught Finn’s raised eyebrow. The guy was really loving this shit.

“Okay, think about it for a second,” Finn broke in. “You know she’s smart. Like, really smart. And I think she likes you. Probably for more than just your ugly mug, too. She sees something in you that the rest of us in Glee Club see, but not a lot of the girls you date ever do. You’re talented, but you never hog the spotlight. And you’re always helping people out, and taking care of your sister. You’ve come a long way from locking Artie in the porta-john. You’re more than Puckasaurus Rex or whatever you’re calling yourself today, dude. Stop selling yourself short.”

It was probably one of the longest speeches Finn had ever given Puck, personally. But Finn was the one who always thought about the right words to say, and Puck knew he was only looking out for him. 

The problem was, he was standing there holding his half-empty water bottle, feeling the lopsided weight of it in his hand, and he had no idea what to say back. 

Finn took another drink of his water and capped the bottle, pointing it at Puck.

“I know we’re guys and we shouldn’t talk about our feelings and shit, but who else are you gonna talk to?”

Puck looked at him, then opened his mouth and said, “Let’s just run a few more.”

He tossed his bottle over to his bag as he started running down the track again, feeling good about the stretch of his muscles. He never minded running the way some guys did. He’d rather run than lift most of the time, but he wasn’t gonna admit that out loud either.

Finn kept pace, and kept his mouth shut this time.

When they’d gone as long as they could, they stopped again, and Puck tossed down the rest of his water.

"A lot of people think I'm dumb, and I know I am, but Super-" He shook his head and forced in a breath. "Ellie. She’s smarter than anyone I ever talked to before, but she never acts like I'm stupid."

“Dude, you’re _not_ stupid,” Finn said, looking Puck square in the eye. “Your dad never should have said that to you when we were kids. He’s the stupid one for running out on you and your mom and Nat.”

“I know my old man was a dumb son of a bitch, but maybe the nut didn’t fall far from the tree,” Puck shot back, stubbornly.

“You’re. Not. Stupid. What else do you like about Ellie?” Finn pressed on.

"I don’t know. She’s different. Like, when I was with Lauren, I thought her being badassier than me was pretty hot for a while, but that didn't work out, and it's kinda cool thinking someone might need me.” Puck grinned, thinking how Ellie would react to him thinking she needed anyone. “And those awful glasses of hers, they’re real coke-bottle types, you know? But you can still see her eyes.” 

“Look, I know it’s dumb,” he started, but seeing Finn’s look, changed it up. “Okay, it’s not dumb. But I like the way she looks at me. I can admit that. Enough of this pansy mushy shit, though.”

Finn laughed and knocked Puck on the shoulder. “I knew it couldn’t last. So what are you gonna do about it?”

“First thing, I gotta apologize. I just now got used to how prickly she can get, and then I messed up bad, thinking she might like Trouty.”

“Yeah, I heard about that,” Finn said, and Puck remembered seeing Tina and Mike at the end of the hall when Elliot had made her big exit. The chick network at McKinley was legendary, so Rachel probably knew within seconds and had obviously told Finn.

Puck hesitated. “I saw her crying in the hallway, after she walked off from the fight she picked with Sam. And I didn’t do anything about it. I just didn’t want to make it any worse.”

“Of course you didn’t. I keep telling you you’re a good guy. So how are you planning on fixing it?”

“I think I got an idea.” And he tossed his bag through the window in the back of Lady Susan, already thinking about his plan to woo the unwooable Ellie Reilly.


	3. Chapter 3

At practice on Monday, Ellie half listened to Coach Roz's "pep talk," which generally consisted of her yelling at them about their laziness and her Bronze Damn Olympic Medal.

Ellie really wasn't in the mood to hear it again, but she came to practice today because she always felt better in the water. She was never quite sure of her footing on land, but in the pool she imagined herself beautiful and graceful.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sam edging towards her, but Coach was about finished talking, so Ellie made a point of exchanging her glasses for her goggles and adjusting them, and then they all jumped in and started working on the routine they'd begun learning last week. Everything else fell away but the rhythm of the water and Coach Roz's continual counting, occasionally interrupted with "inspirational messages."

As Ellie was squeezing water out of her hair and toweling off, Sam came up again, and she couldn't avoid him this time.

"Ellie, I'm really sorry about the other day."

She looked up at him, standing there, so solemn, dripping onto the concrete. And she didn't have the heart to be angry. She wasn't even mad at him really. She was mad at Puck, and more than that, she was mad at herself for letting whatever flutterings occurred in her chest whenever he was near get her so riled up she took it out on poor Sam, who was already hurting.

"It's okay," she replied, tucking her towel around her, and slipping a long-sleeved Guppies tee shirt on over it. "I shouldn't have walked off like that. I know you're only trying to be my friend, and I appreciate it, really. I love hanging out with the Glee Club, and even being kind of like a little sister to you," she teased. "I was upset about something else, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

The poor guy still had his head down, but he nodded.

"Hey, Sam?"

"Yeah?" He was taking the towel from his neck and reaching for his duffel.

"I really hope Mercedes knows how lucky she is."

That finally brought his head up. "What?"

“I know how much you care about her, and I can see she loves you back. I know she does. She may not know what to do about it right now, but she'd be a fool not to fall for your... really bad synchronized swimming moves."

That got a laugh, anyway. "Stop it, I don't completely suck."

"Yeah you do." She smiled back at him, and tapped him on his side with her pink Chucks, held loosely in one hand by the inside of their heels. "No one would ever believe you could dance after watching you flop around in the water."

Coach Roz hollered out for everyone to hit the showers and to try not to drown themselves.

Sam tugged gently on the dangling strap of Ellie's prescription goggles.

"Thanks for forgiving me. You're a good egg, Ellie."

"So are you, Sam Evans, and there was nothing to forgive."

Ellie headed to the girls' locker room, glad to see a smile on her friend’s face.

***

She lay in bed that night, listening to Adele drifting out from her ipod speakers and the fan blowing air quietly around her room, waiting for her mom to come home from the late shift when her phone beeped. Reaching over, she pressed a button and read the text message: 

‘Sorry. - Puck P.S. Dirt bikes @ quarry tmrw. pick u up @ 10.’

Cheeks flushed, she flopped her head back against the pillow. She didn’t know how he got her number - Sam, likely - but she programmed him in. She hugged her ladybug pillow pet to her chest and smiled.

_So that’s what this is supposed to feel like._

She’d give him a chance.

**** 

Puck rolled up to Ellie’s at 9:57. He flipped the visor down and checked himself out in the mirror. 

“Okay, Puckermellon, here we go.”

He waved to a couple people he knew as he walked across the brown grass to Number Eight. Knocking on the door, he turned and waited. 

Knowing chicks, she might take a minute. 

Ellie opened the door and he almost stepped back. She had a huge flannel on along with boots and jeans. Her hair had these pigtail things in ‘em that made her look even more innocent.

“C’mon in, my momma wants to meet you.”

He could only nod and walk through the door. Shutting it behind him, he followed Ellie towards the small kitchen where he could smell bacon frying. The radio cranked out some oldies from its spot on the windowsill over the sink and an older blonde in scrubs was cooking at the stove. 

“Hi, there,” she said. “You must be Noah.”

He watched as she wiped her hands on a towel and walked over to shake his hand. He shook back without thinking. 

“Yes, ma’am. Most folks call me Puck though.”

“Oh, okay. I’m so used to hearing Ellie call you Noah.”

“Mom,” Ellie whispered. 

“Sorry, sorry. Either way, I’m Georgia,” she said, walking back to the stove. “Have you eaten yet, Puck?”

“Um, yeah,” he replied thinking about the four Twinkies he’d scarfed down for breakfast. 

“How about a sandwich to go? I’ll just throw these together real quick.”

“That’d be great, Mrs. Reilly.”

Puck caught Ellie out of the corner of his eye, moving around and grabbing her backpack and a thermos.

“Gimme the bag, Elliot.”

“I can carry it fine, Puck.”

“Just give.”

He slid it off her shoulder and onto his own. 

Georgia walked over with a couple of foil-covered sandwiches and kissed her daughter on the head. 

“Be careful, ‘kay?”

“Sure thing, Momma.”

“And you,” she said, turning to Puck. “Take care of my baby girl.”

“Yes, ma’am. Just going for a ride.”

“Mmmmhmmm. You two have fun.”

“We will,” they chorused together. 

The ride out to the quarry was quiet and Puck wondered if Ellie was still pissed. He turned the radio down as they pulled off where the riding trails began. 

“I brought Nat’s bike for you to ride.”

“Nat?”

“Yeah, Natalie, my sister. She’s twelve and a huge pain in the ass.”

“Bet you love her,” Ellie said. “After my dad got killed, I sorta wished I had a brother or sister I could talk to about it.”

Puck hopped up in the bed of the truck and flipped the strap off his sister’s bike and wheeled it back. 

“Is that why you guys moved here?”

Ellie shrugged. “Yeah, mostly. We needed a change. Mom got this job and she’s putting herself through school when she’s not working.”

“Being smart _and_ hot runs in the family then.”

“What did you say?”

_Fuck, here comes Ms. Lima Heights 2012 again._

“I said you were smart.”

“After that.”

“Look, are we gonna ride bikes or not? I didn’t come out here to fight with you again. And quit getting all Lima Heights on my ass every time someone says you’re pretty.”

“I’m not and I’m _not_.”

“You’re doing that smart girl thing again, Ellie,” Puck said, exasperated. 

“People don’t say that about me.”

“That you’re smart?”

“No,” she said, getting exasperated. “Pretty.”

He leaned across the bike and took a light hold of one of her pigtails. “Well, then people are dumb. You’re pretty. Look just like your mom, except for your eyes. Must get those from your dad or your mom’s parents, because light eye color is a recessive gene. Dr. Oz talked about it one time, I think. But, yeah, your mom’s aren’t grey. Yours are.”

He thought it probably wasn’t the time to tell her that she had this tiny rockin’ body that didn’t go along at all with the chip on her shoulder or her eyes. So, he waited.

“You mean it?”

“Yep.”

She blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay, then.”

“Now, this is the part where you tell me I’m pretty, too. Rachel calls it a mutual admiration society.”

Ellie laughed and Puck smiled down at her. 

“Better? We good?”

“We’re fine, Noah.”

“Sweet. Dig out those Guppy goggles and let’s do this.”

***

Two weeks later, Puck sat in the stands before a synchronized swim meet. The Guppies were just about to take their turn, and Puck was glad he and Nat had gotten there early. McKinley was up against their biggest rivals, and the crowd was fucking huge. 

_That’s what she said_

He stopped chuckling to himself when Nat looked up at him like he was batshit.

Two rows down and to the left, he spotted Mercedes worrying her hands together nervously. Puck figured she wasn’t nervous so much about the meet, but about being there to see Trouty. If her face was anything to go by, and it usually was, their standstill was all but over. Puck understood where she was coming from, morals were a big deal to her, but dude, he knew her thing with Trouty was endgame. Those two crazy kids would work it out.

At least they’d both be road tripping to Nationals. Puck hadn’t wrapped his head around what he was gonna do next week without Elliot to pester. And yeah, flirt with. What the hell was he doing, anyway? She was going somewhere one day, and it wasn’t to the opposite side of the Heights, either. But it didn’t matter how many times he told himself to lay off, he just kept coming back for more. 

The Guppies were lining up, and Puck watched Ellie, with those fugly goggles on, as she adjusted her tank straps on her shoulders with both hands. Then she stretched her arms behind her back, rolling her neck.

_Fuck me running._

Nat elbowed him in the side. “Dude. They’re about to start. Can I have my candy now?”

He blinked, cleared his head.

“No, Squirt. Told you, I brought you an apple.” He rummaged in her backpack and pulled out one of those yellow delicious ones.

“Yeah, no thanks.” Nat wrinkled her nose, and for just a second, he forgot she was almost thirteen.

He picked up her left hand and placed the apple in it.

“That’s all you’re getting, so eat it, and hurry before they start, so you don’t crunch and ruin everything.”

“ _Every_ thing?” He squinted at her, and hated how well she knew him, sitting there with a shit-eating grin.

He ruffled her hair, just rough enough to let her know he meant it.

“Just eat, or I won’t let you ride home with Santana.”

Nat crunched down on her apple and said, around the bite in her mouth, “Okay, okay.”

Puck was starting to feel nervous, himself. Maybe he’d give Elliot a ride home later, and see if he could work out what to do about her. Maybe her team would win, and they’d have something to celebrate.

***

They sat in his Bronco for a minute after he turned the key in the ignition. Ellie leaned her head back against the rest. She could feel the tips of Puck’s fingers as he brushed back the wet strands of her hair away from her face. Everywhere he touched, every piece of skin and hair, _tingled_. 

“Losing sucks.”

“Yeah.”

Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the train rolling across the tracks and the lonely sound as the whistle blew. And Puck kept touching her. 

“Stop,” she said, dragging his hand down out of her hair. “I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me.”

“I don’t. I just think it sucks that you guys lost after working so hard on that routine.”

“It does.”

Silence again. Except for the noises that never stopped at Beaver Apartments. There was always a baby crying somewhere or raised voices from people that were never going to get further than the cigarette smoke coated walls of their tiny kitchenettes, and out of nowhere she just felt sad. Really sad. Tears filled her eyes and her nose burned as she tried to choke back the loss. She didn’t lose often but when she did, it hurt. 

He grabbed at her hand. 

“Ellie..”

“No.”

She shook her head and then buried her face in her hands. It had been a long couple of weeks and she was done, done, done. Puck was leaving for a week tomorrow and she was tired of guessing what he had up his sleeve next. 

The bench seat creaked as he scooted across and she felt the comforting warmth of his arms around her. She leaned into his chest and gulped back tears she wouldn’t let loose. She hadn’t cried since her dad died and she sure as hell wasn’t going to start getting all drippy over a stupid swim meet. 

“So, yeah, I probably suck at this. I don’t hug too much. Well, not since Nat was little enough to ride her trike. But, one time we were out on the trails and she wiped out and wiped out big, right?”

Ellie nodded into his chest to show she was listening. 

“There was blood and gravel _everywhere_. I thought she was really hurt and we were out in like the middle of nowhere and it freaked me out. And she was just laying there all hurt and shit. She looked up at me and told me what to do because she’s like that, right? She’s bossy and short and I was pretty freaked out. But, not Nat, ya know? ‘Gimme a hug, Puck’. And I did.”

Turning slightly, Ellie moved in his arms. She put her hand on his side. The span of her fingers barely covered his ribs but she took in that warmth and let it fill up through her fingers, her palm, her arm all the way up to her face. When had Noah become this source of warmth, of strength? 

I’m going to miss you, she thought. It’s only a week, I know, but I’m going to miss your dumb face showing up at my locker and the way you carry my books because you think they’re too heavy for me. I know what you’re doing, I do. 

She shivered. 

“Shit, are you cold?” 

He took his arms away then and she looked up as he peeled off his jacket, the red and white and black of the McKinley High Titans, and settled it around her shoulders. He rubbed up and down on her arms. 

“No, I’m not. Cold. I’m not cold.” Her teeth chattered giving her away as she spoke.

“C’mon, let’s get you inside.”

He grabbed her backpack and she had no choice but to follow him up to her door. They stood there in the meager ‘porch’ light of the sixty-watt and she looked up and tried to focus on his face. When did a week seem like a year? Not since her dad died and even then it felt way different than this did. 

The lamp in the living room flipped on and she knew her mom was just right on the other side of the wall. It was a small comfort to know that she could walk through the door and get her momma’s brand of love but she didn’t want to stop looking at him. 

“Thanks, Noah. You were what I needed today.”

He didn’t say a word but reached over and adjusted the collar on his coat and pulled it up tighter around her shoulders. 

“You want your coat back?”

“Naw. Keep an eye on it while I’m gone. Just don’t let any of those hockey dicks slushie it up.”

“Got it.”

It was quiet again and the only sound she could hear was their breathing and the tips of Puck’s fingers as they dragged down the red wool of his coat. He grabbed and pulled and she went with the momentum and clung. Breathing deep, she could smell her chlorine and just the hint of his soap. And right against her ear she could hear the hard thump, thump, thump of his heart. It was _racing_. 

She tipped her face up to look at him. She had to see his face. Again, his hands pushed her hair back and tucked it behind her ears. He took a breath so deep that she could feel it from her chin to her belly button. 

“Noah?”

“Go inside, Ellie,” he said, dropping his hands at his sides. “Go in.”

He stepped back and her heart fell. He had been about to kiss her she was almost sure of it. 

“Oh...okay,” she said, fumbling for words. 

“I’ll um, text you.”

“Yeah, text me when you get there.”

“Okay.”

“Good luck,” she whispered. 

“Thanks,” he whispered back. 

She took her backpack and walked through the door, leaning on it to shut it. She waited until she could hear the familiar engine gun before she slid down and let the tears come. 

***

She woke up before dawn the next morning and threw her pool things in her backpack. Zipping around the room, she stuffed an apple in her mouth on the way out the door. She took the sidewalk at a jog. If she hurried, she’d be able to tell them all bye and good-luck. Checking her watch one last time, she picked up the pace to a run. 

She ran into the school parking lot and spied Tina first. Tina grinned, hollering and waving Ellie over, as Mr. Schue helped get Artie loaded. 

Running straight into her friend’s arms, Ellie hugged tight. 

“Sorry about your meet yesterday,” Tina said, squeezing. 

“Thanks,” she whispered. “You go kick some Glee Club ass, though.”

The dewy morning fog hadn’t lifted yet and when the guys came walking through the lot, it swirled around their feet and parted as they became less dreamlike and more like men. 

“They’re really pretty sometimes, aren’t they?”

Ellie laughed. “No shit.”

All wore their jackets except for Puck in flannel. Ellie hugged his letter jacket tighter around her middle. 

“Ellie? What’re you doing here so early?” Sam asked, walking over. 

“Wishing you guys good -”

“Don’t say it,” Rachel interrupted. “It’s bad luck to say...Well, _you_ know.”

“Right,” Ellie replied. 

Sam gave her a one-armed hug. “Maybe you can win this one for the Guppies, Trouty.”

Pulling back, he gave her a fist bump. “You know it.”

Everyone milled around waiting and then it was all bags on the bus and bitching and hugs again. Time sped up as she watched everyone boarding and elbowing each other to get the best seats. Ellie gave Mercedes a wink and thumbs up as she paused before walking up the steps. 

And then there he was, standing outside of the yellow McKinley bus with his hand on the rail. He made to walk up on the first step and she frowned. 

“Noah!” she yelled.

He dropped his head and then leaned out looking right at her.

“You can do it,” she said. 

He grinned and nodded. They stood and looked, just looked for a minute. She let her eyes travel over him and her mind filled up of what he looked like to make do until they rolled back into town a week from now. 

“Puckerman, would you kiss your girl and get your ass on this bus?”

Ellie’s heart raced as his grin got big and he shook his head.

“Not yet,” he said. “She ain’t mine yet.”

He lifted his hand in a small wave and then made a gesture with his hand indicating the phone. She nodded in reply and held up her cell. 

And then he was on the bus and she waved until it disappeared out of the lot and around the corner and out of sight.

***

The first text came the next day.

SMS FROM PUCK: HERE. TIRED. TROUTY IS A PILLOW HOG. 

Which made Tina’s picture message hours earlier make so much more sense. Ellie flipped her phone closed and smiled to herself.

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/prplhez8/pic/00084b0d/)

The second picture message came from Tina again on Tuesday with a picture of Sam and Puck with the caption of:

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/prplhez8/pic/000856ad/)

“BOYS. ICK. HAHAHA They’re practicing for our big number!” 

Quickly, she tapped out a smiley face and ‘kick some butt!’ before the bell rang. Running into class late, she slid into her chair just in time for Mrs. Miller to begin taking attendance. 

***

Puck had snagged Finn’s laptop earlier because Captain America usually had the girliest songs on his iTunes, and Puck needed to figure out a song for Ellie. He’d decided somewhere between take off and touch down that that’s what he was going to do. Sing her a song. But what song and where should he do it?

Artie wheeled his chair into the room. 

“Hey, thought you were going down to the pool.”

“What and cause a sex riot with these guns? I think not, Puckerman,” Artie said, shaking a gloved finger. 

Snorting out a laugh, Puck turned back to Finn’s music library. Artie wheeled over and Puck scooted the laptop over so they could both look easily. 

“What’re we looking for?”

“A song, duh.”

“Not what I meant. We’re set on our playlist for Nationals. So, what’s this for?”

Puck shifted uncomfortably. Time to man up, he thought. Fucking go big or go home. 

“It’s for Ellie.”

“Oooh,” Artie smiled and clapped his hands together like a kid at Christmas. Or Brittany. 

“Knock that shit off. This ain’t some schmoopy ass stuff like Finn’s always doing. I want it to be... _cool_.”

“You can be cool and still be, what was that word? ...schmoopy.”

“I doubt it.”

“Gimme the laptop.”

“Fine,” Puck said and scooted it onto Artie’s lap. Locking his fingers behind his head, Puck leaned back on the bed. 

He heard Artie say things like ‘no, no, no’ and ‘Finn Hudson, do you _know_ the meaning of a playlist?’. Mostly, he laid there and zoned out thinking about her. 

“Do you need help singing to her?” 

“Huh?” Puck asked as he leaned up off the pillow.

“Do you need help singing?” Artie asked again, slowly enunciating every syllable.

“Dude, I don’t even have a song yet. How am I s’posed to know if I need help?”

“You always help us,” Artie shrugged.

“So?”

“Sooooo.... I thought it might be our turn to help you. I mean I know that when you were wooing Lauren we didn’t help a lot with that. Honestly, we were all a little scared of her. But, we all like Ellie. She’s good for you.”

Puck grabbed the laptop back and acted like he was scrolling through the list of songs until it was a blue and white blur under his fingers.

“Don’t know if I’m good for her.”

“You are.”

Puck looked up to see Finn standing at the door with Sam and Mike behind him. Strolling in, they dumped their towels and things on the couch. Blaine and Kurt came walking in, too.

“Oh fuck, is this some sorta girl party now?”

“No, Puckerman,” Kurt said. “Finn might’ve mentioned you could use some help. I’ve got an idea but we just need the right song.”

Just then, Artie took the laptop back. 

“Fine, you guys pick a song. I can’t fucking do it,” Puck said.

Sam walked over and leaned over Artie’s shoulder. “Here, this one. This playlist.”

Artie looked up at Sam. “How’d you know that was there?”

“Dude, I’ve been doing nothing but eating Doritos and staring at the ceiling for two months. I needed some new music. Plus, Kurt threatened to kill me if he heard George Jones one more time.”

“True story,” Kurt said, picking towels off the couch and walking with them into the bathroom. 

“Let’s double check the lyrics first,” Blaine said, joining the group by Artie. 

The brothers Hudson-Hummel were now peaking over the laptop, too. Feeling a little sick, Puck sat up on the edge of the bed.

“Okay, guys, what’s the verdict?”

Artie looked back at the rest of them. “Are we in agreement?”

Finn and Kurt nodded. Sam and Mike high-fived and Blaine gave the two thumbs up. 

“Okay, this one,” Artie said, flipping the laptop around and pointing.

“Are you guys _high_?” Puck asked after seeing what they’d picked. 

“Show him the lyrics,” Blaine nudged Artie. “Because it only works if it’s what Puck is really feeling about Ellie.”

Artie toggled between the tabs on Chrome and Puck looked up at their dorky faces and gave them the benefit of the doubt. Reading, he unknowingly began to grin. 

_Oh, hell, this was it._

“It’s her,” Puck whispered.

“Okay, let’s work out the logistics, gentlemen,” Kurt said, whipping a notebook out of his carry on. “I have ideas.”

“If you have me wearing pink, Hummel, I’ll toss your ass in a dumpster again.”

Puck hopped off the bed, high-fived Artie on the way down, and huddled with the rest of them on the floor to plan. 

He couldn’t help but laugh at what Kurt had put in Sharpie at the top of the page. 

‘THE WOOING OF ELLIE REILLY’. 

“She’d kick your ass if she knew you wrote that,” Puck pointed out.

“Then don’t tell her, dumbass,” Sam shoved Puck in the arm and flopped down. 

“Can anyone join this testicle festival or is it reserved for the boys of Nude Erections only?” Santana asked from the doorway. 

Sighing, Puck figured it was the more the merrier at this point. Now it really was a girl party.

“Fine. Get your asses in here.”

The girls poured in through the door and the scent of chlorine and hotel shampoo filled the room as they all sat down between the boys. Puck snorted as he saw Mercedes settle in beside Trouty. 

“Wanky,” he whispered. 

Sam shoved him again. “Shut up.”

“Ohhhhh, this is good,” Tina said, looking over Kurt’s notes. “This is going to be really sweet, Puck.”

“If it works.”

Tina looked up at him from across the group of people and smiled. “It will.”

It was one of the first times he’d ever really talked with Cohen-Chang, but knowing she was close to Ellie helped. If she thought it’d work, it just might. 

Clapping his hands together, he grinned at the group. “Alright, let’s do this.”

***

Ellie had talked to Puck for like two seconds last night after the plane had landed and they’d arrived home. Ever the victors, she thought as she passed under a welcome home banner Miss Pillsbury had put up. It had been so good to hear his voice, and knowing he was lying in his bed a few blocks away had made her heart amp up a notch, but she chalked it up to just getting done with a run … earlier in the evening.

“Ellie! Ellie!”

Whipping around, bringing herself back to the present, she saw Tina running down the hall. Smiling, she met her friend with a big hug.

“Congratulations!”

“Oh my god, I know right?” Tina exclaimed. “Who would’ve thought? Us? Number one?!”

“Sam almost fell in the pool this morning when Coach Roz congratulated him.”

Tina laughed. They started walking in the direction of Ellie’s first period class with their arms linked. Rounding the corner, Ellie saw Mercedes leaning on her locker with Sam’s hands braced on either side of her head, leaning in. 

“Ooops,” Ellie laughed. 

“About time,” Tina said loudly as they walked by. 

“Shut _up_ , Tina,” Mercedes said. 

“Git ‘er, Trouty,” Ellie added. 

“You guys,” Sam growled and chased them down the hallway while they shrieked. They made it to the quad before Ellie was grabbed around the waist. Prepared to kick some ass, she turned ready to swing when she saw who it was. 

“Puck,” she said, breathing deeply. 

“Hey, Elliot.”

She had a second to look up into Puck’s face before Sam came tearing out into the quad. 

“Put ‘er down, Puck.”

Puck’s arms tightened around her and he smirked. 

“No dice, Evans. What she do?”

Sam’s face turned beet red and he dug the toe of his black Converse in the dirt. “Nothing.”

“Tina went that way,” Ellie said taking pity on him and pointing off to the right.

“Yes!” Sam punched the air and tore off again.

Puck laughed a deep chuckle she could feel rumble through her chest and arms and looked down at her. “Did she really go that way?”

“No? But that’s where he left Mercedes, and maybe he’ll get distracted again.”

“You have an evil streak, and I like it,” Puck said and tapped her on the nose, before letting her loose. “See ya.”

“Where are you going?” Ellie called after him, laughing.

He turned around and jogged backwards, grinning at her. “You gonna miss me?”

“I might.” And she giggled again as she watched his grin grow bigger.

She waved, cheeks aching from smiling so much, and turned to find where Tina had gone.


	4. Chapter 4

There was a loud bang on Puck’s bedroom door as Nat called out on her way to the kitchen, “Hey, your eggs are getting cold, and didn’t you have plans today with your boy band?”

Puck raised his head off his pillow and grinned as he remembered.

_Today is the day._

“Save some breakfast for me, you little monster,” he hollered at his sister.

After a quick shower, he walked down the hall to the kitchen with only his arms in one of his old McKinley High baseball tees. He quickly pulled at the back of it and slipped his head through, pulling the rest down around his belly and over his red swim trunks.

He grabbed a piece of toast out of Nat’s hands as she gaped at him.

“You look way too happy to be going swimming at the lake with the guys.” She looked at him sideways as she picked up another piece of toast from the table and took a bite. “Is Ellie going?”

Around a bite of egg and bacon, he replied, “Not that it’s any of your beeswax, but I’m going to the pool.”

“Can I go?”

“Not this time, Squirt.” Puck finished shoveling in his breakfast and headed down the hall to brush his teeth. “Is Mom already at work?”

Nat was still pouting but answered, crossing her arms in front of her, as he came back into the room.

“Yeah, she said to load the dishwasher and sweep the floors while she’s gone. And you _know_ I hate it when you call me Squirt.”

Puck thought for a second as he picked up his guitar case from the corner where it was leaning.

“‘K, how ‘bout this? I’ll make you a deal. You take care of your chores today, and then tomorrow we’ll go out behind the track and I’ll give you a driving lesson.”

“I can drive Lady Susan?” She forgot to look sullen for a second, and Puck had to hide his grin.

“Sure, Nat. You gotta learn sometime, right? I can’t be driving you to college and shit. Assuming you live that long, with all that candy you eat.”

She threw what was left of her toast at him as he opened the door and ducked behind it, but she was laughing.

Puck stuck his tongue out at her, and slammed the door behind him.

His phone vibrated an alert from his shorts pocket, and switching his guitar case and keys to his other hand, he dug out his phone to check the message.

SMS FROM FINN: ‘Blaine went 2 pick up mike n artie. Kurt is making me n sam do warm up vocals. U better hurry up.’

Puck opened up the back hatch of his Bronco, set down his guitar, and fired back a message, ‘b there in 15,’ before jogging around to hop in the front seat.

Only as he turned the key did he start to feel a little queasy with nerves.

_You can do this, dude._

As he drove to the Hudson-Hummel house, he thought about the lyrics to the song he and the guys would be singing. Those words fit Ellie to a Tee, and it calmed him some, picturing her face lighting up.

***

Ellie counted off as her charges jumped into the deep end of the pool, one by one. This group was about to graduate from the intermediate class, and she was really proud of how far they’d come.

She put her fingers to her lips, finding a smile that had pretty much been there ever since Puck had come back from Nationals. 

Hearing tires crunching in the gravel lot that was next to the entrance, she looked around, not expecting anyone else since all the parents were here for this last lesson.

Shaking her head, Ellie looked back to the kids in the water, figuring someone’s older sibling had come late to watch.

“Great job, Madison! Kick harder, Taylor!” She called out instructions, but the kids really didn’t need a lot of help at this point. 

When she heard another vehicle pull in and car doors slam, she looked up again.

_Was the pool booked for something else this afternoon that I forgot about?_

She checked her watch, but dammit, she _knew_ the pool wasn’t booked.

Keeping an eye on the kids while backing slowly towards the exit from the pool house to the patio where her lesson was, she was ready to give someone a piece of her mind.

_Wait, was that... guitars?_

Her eyes just about bugged out of her head when Mike Chang wheeled Artie, holding a tambourine, out into the sunshine. 

Blaine, Sam, and Finn followed, all strumming guitars.

Every one of the guys was wearing swim trunks.

Feeling gobsmacked, Ellie shaded her eyes, watching the guys line up in front of her in a semi-circle. She looked over at the row of parents on a bench next to the wall, and they were all grinning, a few standing and clapping.

Turning to the kids, she quickly ushered them over to the shallow end of the pool where they could safely stand.

She looked back to the exit, and there he was.

Puck walked out, a guitar strapped to his chest, and he started to sing.

_I don't want another pretty face  
I don't want just anyone to hold  
I don't want my love to go to waste  
I want you and your beautiful soul_

Ellie was frozen. The rest of the guys joined in on the next verse, but Ellie couldn’t look away from Noah’s face.

He looked so... _earnest_. This was the guy who used to toss kids in the dumpsters and throw slushies in people’s faces?

She couldn’t believe they were here. That he was singing to _her_ , Ellie Reilly.

Trying to focus on the words, she closed her eyes.

_You might need time to think it over  
But I'm just fine moving forward  
I'll ease your mind  
If you give me the chance  
I will never make you cry c’mon let's try_

Did he really mean that? Feeling the sun on her eyelids, she opened her eyes and glanced down at the water. The kids were jumping up and down and giggling. A couple of the girls were pointing at Puck and Ellie. Laughing too, she shushed them and looked back up.

_Am I crazy for wanting you?  
Maybe do you think you could want me too?  
I don't wanna waste your time  
Do you see things the way I do?  
I just wanna know that you feel it too  
There is nothing left to hide_

While they was singing, Puck made his way closer to Ellie. She looked over at the other guys, and they were all grinning. Sam nodded at her and took a hand from his guitar to give her thumbs up.

She looked back at Puck.

_I want you and your soul  
I don't want another pretty face  
I don't want just anyone to hold  
I don't want my love to go to waste  
I want you and your beautiful soul_

***

The last notes of the song died away, and Puck realized Ellie hadn’t said anything.

“Hey.”

“Uh, hi, Noah.”

He was close enough to see the grey of her eyes behind those crazy-ass goggles and her collar bones peeking out of the neckline of her swimsuit. And her legs were--

_Shit. Back to her eyes!_

“Hey.”

Ellie cracked another smile. “You already said that. Did you guys come all the way out here and interrupt my last lesson of the season just to say, _hey_?”

“Twice,” Blaine said helpfully, and Kurt held up two fingers.

“Shut it, Anderson.”

But that broke up the tension that had been building inside Puck ever since he’d stopped singing.

He needed to man the fuck up. Ellie was squinting up at him, so he reached out and gently turned her into the shade.

“So, that song, it was about you.”

“Was it?” She was smiling, and he took that as a good sign.

“Yeah, and I meant it. I mean it. I think you’re really cool, how you work here with these little kids. And your eyes--”

“My eyes?” Her mouth was open a little, and he realized he was staring at it, and he still had his hands on her upper arms.

He started to move them, but Ellie only stepped closer.

“Noah?”

He looked back at her eyes. 

Elliot, who’d been driving him bugnuts ever since that first night at the ‘Stix and he still didn’t get half the shit that came out of her mouth, but somewhere in that freaking craziness, she really started to matter to him.

He slowed down, took a deep breath.

 _Keep it simple._

“I like you, Ellie.”

“Good.”

Then her hands were on his face, pulling him down. 

She bumped into his guitar between them, and they both laughed a little.

He looked around and saw Blaine and Kurt were at the other end of the pool, and Finn was talking to some of the people Puck figured were the kids’ parents.

Sam looked at him and exaggerated the motions of taking off his own guitar.

Ellie was already reaching around to find the strap at Puck’s side. He looked down at the top of her head, so close to his chest, and he thought his heart skipped a beat.

She handed the guitar off to Sam, without taking her eyes off of Puck.

Then she was in his arms as he grabbed her around the waist and helped haul her up.

In the background, Puck could hear the crowd cheer, someone let out a wolf whistle, and one of the kids said, “ewwwwwww.”

Just before her lips touched his, Ellie whispered, “I like you, too.”

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/prplhez8/pic/0007trt3/)

***  
 _Epilogue: ….Two Years Later_

Ellie stood in front of the mirror to straighten the collar of her dress under the plain black robe. She’d finished up her speech last night and had nothing more to do until the ceremony started at one. She pressed her hand flat against her belly to will the butterflies to settle and looked in the mirror one last time to make sure she looked okay. She tucked a strand of hair back underneath her cap and adjusted the bobby pin holding it in place.

Behind her, suddenly stood a boy with a mohawk haircut.

“Hey,” he said.

She waggled her fingers at the mirror boy, and smiled at the word. “Hey, yourself.”

“Scared shitless?”

“Noah!” Ellie exclaimed, but didn’t turn around.

His arms circled her waist, covering her hand and he leaned his chin on her shoulder. She could make out that he was wearing a white button down but as for pants it would be hard telling whether khaki shorts or glaring hawaiian print. 

“You’ll be great. You’re always great,” he said. 

“I don’t see you about to give a Valedictory speech.”

“It’s cuz I leave it to the hot chicks with grey eyes.”

She blushed. 

Even after dating for two years, he could still make her blush. 

“Wanted to show you something.”

“Oh God, I thought we had that talk...”

“Shut up, not that,” he said. “Well, maybe later.”

Turning her around, he put a piece of stark, white paper in her hands. Puzzled, she unfolded it to see an official certificate stating that Mr. Noah Puckerman had graduated from Lima College’s Industrial Technology Program. 

“NOAH! Why didn’t you say something before now? We could’ve celebrated for you, too!”

She jumped and hugged him around the neck. His arms squeezed tight around her waist again.

“I’m so proud of you,” she said against the side of his neck.

She knew how hard he’d worked going to school at nights while working for Kurt’s dad during the day. Smiling, she thought of all the afternoons they’d shared homework duties on the low coffee table in her living room. Of her mom making them snacks when she got home. 

And of how much they’d both grown in the past two years, yet they were still the same with each other.

“Yeah, well, didn’t want you to be the only smartypants around here. Pretty sure you’ll show me up in the grades department next year at OSU.”

She leaned back and looked him in the eyes. Touching the side of his face, she leaned in and kissed him. It wasn’t anything more than their lips brushing together, but there’d be time for more later. He’d said something about later, hadn’t he?

Maybe after the cake and ice cream and horrible punch that her Mom had made. Maybe they’d take Lady Susan out for a drive under the pretty May evening sky, and she could snuggle up in his Letter Jacket - she still had it - and kiss him till he shut up and she couldn’t think straight. 

“I love you,” Ellie said, moving her hand from his cheek to the back of his neck.

She smiled at the look on his face. It was the same every time. He always looked a little amazed when she whispered those words. She’d been scared to death and shaking the first time she’d said it, and then he’d told her that no one had ever told him that before. No one. 

It killed her to know that. So, she said it as often as she could now. 

He pressed his lips to hers again. 

“Love you, too.”


End file.
